Last Dance
by IfICannotMoveHeaven
Summary: You know the story of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, but do you know how David and Rumplestiltskin fit in? The twelve Cathal sisters aren't exactly well-known in Storybrooke. They are kept sheltered away by their protective father, only allowed out on rare occasions. So when Rumplestiltskin insists that they stole from him before the curse, the stories we thought we knew collide.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome! Thank you for checking out this story! Like the description suggested, it is going to be incorporating the story of The Twelve Dancing Princesses into the Storybrooke we know and love. In addition, there will be chapters written from back in the Enchanted Forest, before the curse took place, following the _real_ story of how it happened. The rest of the chapters will, of course, take place in Storybrooke.**

 **You don't necessarily need to know the original story of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, but if you do it will definitely be helpful in picking up on a lot of things in this story. (Even reading the Wikipedia summary will be good)**

 **This story is co-written by myself, who will be writing the Enchanted Forest chapters, as well as Piper's POV, and my best mate and fellow writer, Madison/Finn, who will be writing Amelia's POV.**

 **Remember to review to let us know if you like it, and what you might want to see!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 1**

 _Enchanted Forest_

" _Almost a hundred people," David read from the piece of parchment in his shaking hands. "A hundred people dead, even more injured. Aid was sent to the village an hour ago." He put the paper down on the table next to him and sat down, burying his face in his hands. "It can't erase what's been done. These people's lives are ruined. Innocent people. And entire village of them-"_

" _We're doing all that we can," he was interrupted by Snow, who crossed the room to try reassuring him. "The survivors of the attack will be taken care of to the best of our ability." She offered him a small, comforting smile, but it did little to calm him._

" _It doesn't matter what we do, it's just going to happen again," he reminded her. And he was right; this feud had been going on long before he and Snow had taken the throne, and there was no end in sight. This conflict was a deeply rooted one, making it impossible to ever negotiate peace; it was hard to compromise when hardly anyone could remember what had even began it._

" _So we strike back," Snow said, her voice much less confident than before. She didn't like suggesting it, of course, but it was the only solution either side had ever come to._

 _There was silence in the room, both trying to think their way through a decades-old problem. It seemed like there was nothing else they could do besides what had always been done: wait some time while the other kingdom let their guard down, and then attack them in the same way they had been attacked._

" _No," David said, standing suddenly. "This can't continue. We're not throwing away any more lives over this. It has to end."_

" _I know that's what we all want," Snow allowed. "But we've tried negotiating peace before and it never works."_

" _We have to try harder," he argued, the fire in his voice becoming more intense. "There must be something they want that we can give. Something we can use to convince them to end this."_

" _I suppose…" Snow responded, taking a few moments to think of what that thing might be._

" _I'll send a message to their King," David decided. "Asking for audience with him. I'm done sending delegates to handle this. I'm going myself to ask what we could trade for peace."_

 _It was settled. Neither of them could think of another solution that didn't involve the death of innocent people on either side, and that wasn't something they were willing to put on the line. A letter was sent to the King, requesting for David to come speak with him personally. And, days later, a response was delivered._

" _You don't think you're going alone, do you?" Snow asked, crossing her arms as she watched David pack up a small riding satchel with things he would need for the journey._

" _I have to," he said. "One of the King Bernard's conditions is that I come without any knights or guards of any kind. It's to show that there is trust between us."_

" _Then don't bring a guard, I'll go with you." She was confused as to why he hadn't already put this thought into consideration._

" _You can't come with me, you're needed here," he said, putting down his satchel to take her hands. "Our kingdom still needs a leader. With the recent attack and their King knowing I am away, we're more vulnerable than ever. I could trust no one else with the safety of our people."_

 _She wanted to argue, but how could she? As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. Leaving their kingdom without either of their leaders might lead to disaster, even if it was just for a short amount of time._

" _Promise me you'll be careful?" she said, still holding onto his hands tightly._

" _I promise," he said. "I'll be back before you know it. Tomorrow morning, at the very latest."_

 _There wasn't anything else to be said. It was something that needed to be done, no matter how much they disliked it._

 _The two kingdoms were neighboring, so it was less than a day's ride. Although the business to be discussed was serious, David was grateful for the hours spent just riding through his kingdom, not having to think about much, other than the steady rise and fall of the horse's gait and the comforting sound of hooves hitting the ground in a repetitive pattern._

 _It was only early evening by the time he arrived at the gates of the palace. He had never been there himself before, always sending delegates and other officials when there needed to be face to face meetings. The castle looked far less...sinister than he had expected. After the decades of picturing this as place of pure evil, responsible for the death of hundreds of his people, he was surprised to see that there was nothing colder looking here than in his own kingdom._

 _Almost immediately upon approaching the gates, he was greeted by the king's guards, all who seemed less than trusting of his arrival. One took his horse to the stables to be taken care of, and the rest escorted him through the entrance of the castle, straight into the king's throne room._

 _He didn't notice them enter, at first. He looked like he was lost deep in thought, wringing his hands anxiously. He looked nothing like the cruel leader David had pictured sending out the orders to attack the village's in which his people lived. His dark curly hair was in disarray, like he hadn't thought to tame it in days, and his clothes were ill-fitting, as though he had lost too much weight recently from worry._

 _One of the guards cleared his throat as he and the others stood in attention, gaining the focus of the King. David knelt in front of him. "King Bernard, your Majesty," he greeted politely. Despite his negative thoughts on the King after his attacks had cost his kingdom so much, he was willing to show him respect if it meant they could speak of peace._

 _The king motioned for him to rise. "Welcome," he said, his voice even and well trained, though even he couldn't keep hints of exhaustion for seeping into his tone. Something was bothering him, something that had been on his mind for a long time; David could tell._

" _Your majesty, I stated in my letter that have come here to discuss a treaty of peace between our kingdoms," David continued, wanting to get to the point quickly. "And, judging by the fact that you agreed for me to come here, I'm assuming that is something you are interested in?" King Bernard nodded gravely, letting out a sigh before straightening in his chair._

" _I do agree with you that this feud has gone on far too long with no results but the deaths of innocent people. But my council would never let me form a treaty with you or your kingdom without some kind of compensation." He rested his chin in his hand for a moment, thinking, before sitting up again. "I'll make you a deal, King David," he said. "Have you heard of the task I have made available to the men of my kingdom?"_

 _David shook his head. "I don't believe I have."_

" _It is as follows," he said, leaning forward as if he had explained it to many people before. "My family faces somewhat of a mystery. As you may know, I have twelve beautiful daughters that my late wife left me. They are perfect pictures of kindness and grace, naturally. But, for over a year, they have been wearing out their shoes rather quickly. I noticed when it seemed that every morning they would be requesting for new ones to be made, even though theirs were only days old. I looked at these shoes that they wanted to replace and saw that they were in absolute tatters._

" _Naturally, I assumed that the only way that they were wearing them out so quickly is that they were sneaking out in the evenings, in their new shoes, and wearing them out by morning._

" _Now, of course, being concerned for their wellbeing, and appalled at the idea of them disobeying me by sneaking out with me unaware, I took precautions. Every night, I locked their bedroom door from the outside and had a guard standing watch outside their door. But still, it remains the same. They go to bed with new shoes tucked under their beds, and in the morning they are in tatters."_

" _Excuse me, sir," David said. "But I'm wondering what this has to do with our treaty?"_

" _Ah, yes," the King resumed. "I put out a message to all the men in my kingdom that if anyone could find out where my daughters go at night and how they are getting there, they will have my blessing to take any of their hands in marriage. Many of tried, none have succeeded._

" _Now, I know that you are happily married, sir David, but I would be willing to bend the prize for you. If you are able to figure out what is happening with my daughters within three nights, you have my word that our kingdoms will be at peace at last."_

 _David thought for a moment. There had to be something that everyone else who had tried was missing. They were just young girls; there was no way for them to simple disappear in the night without ever being detected. If this was the condition to peace at last, then he was willing to try._

" _I accept your proposition," he said confidently. King Bernard smiled._

" _Wonderful. I do have faith in your abilities." He paused. "However, I must warn you, there is a stipulation that comes along with this task that all of the other men who made the attempt agreed to, therefore it would not be right to excuse you from it."_

" _What is it?" David asked._

" _If you are not able to figure out where they are going within three nights, you will be put to death."_

" _Your majesty-" David stammered in protest._

" _I'm sorry, but it is the law of the task," King Bernard said, his voice firm._

 _David thought it over, turning the idea over in his head for a few long moments. "Deal," he said at last._

 _XxXxXxXx_

 _David was back on his horse only hours before the sun would set. He hadn't thought it would be possible, but he was even more worried now than he had been on the way there._

 _He had to solve the mystery in three days, or he would be killed. Was it even possible? It hadn't been to the men who had tried before...but that didn't mean it was impossible. Besides, what choice did he have? It was either risk his own life, or guarantee the deaths of countless more innocent people who would die in future attacks._

 _He had barely made it a mile out of the kingdom before his horse halted to a sudden stop, throwing David efficiently from its back. David sputtered on the ground, recovering from the hard fall and assessing any damage that had been done._

 _Nothing more than a few scrapes and bruises, but his concern remained. He grabbed the horse's reins before it had the chance to run off, and looked around for what could have startled it._

" _Well, well," a familiar voice said from behind him. David spun quickly, facing Rumplestiltskin's grinning face. He took a cautious step back, narrowing his eyes as he placed his hand on the hilt of his sword._

" _What do you want?" he asked in a warning voice. Rumplestiltskin touched his fingers together in delight._

" _I hear you've made a little deal with the King of this land," he started, the awful smile still on his face. "And as you know, deals are my specialty."_

" _You don't have any part in this," David snapped, knowing that deals made with Rumplestiltskin almost never ended well._

" _Not yet I don't," he continued. "However, I get the feeling that you aren't too excited about the chance of being executed?" He paused, waiting for David's reaction. "I'm willing to help you avoid that fate."_

" _How?" he asked, not able to resist the temptation of even a little bit of assistance._

" _I have something that will help you get all the information you need about the King's darling daughters," he baited._

" _And what will you want in return?" David asked, knowing that he would never make a deal without asking for something to trade._

" _Oh, just one little item," he said casually, walking back and forth slowly as if he didn't have a care in the world. "When you follow the princesses to their hidden rendezvous spot, you will see a certain golden chalice. Bring that back for me, and your end of the bargain will be fulfilled."_

 _David hesitated. It seemed easy enough, if he found out a way to follow the princesses, there shouldn't be much trouble bringing back a chalice._

" _And what are you offering me?" he asked._

" _Two very important things that you will need. First, a piece of advice. Second, a cloak of invisibility that will allow you to follow the princesses without being seen. Quite the bargain." He smiled. "Do we have a deal?" David paused, thinking it over._

" _Deal," David said, for the second time that day._


	2. Chapter 2

_Amelia's POV_

Amelia felt a hand slip into hers. Looking down, she smiled at Nihm. Clara and Piper were a few paces ahead, speaking in animated tones about who knows what. Though she was endlessly curious, Nihm, like Amelia, preferred to stay quiet. The sisters had just finished picking up some groceries. They already had bought a few new pairs of shoes, as the girls seemed to go through them endlessly, but they still had some time before their father expected them at home.

"Oh look, the library!" Clara suddenly exclaimed. "Can we please pick up a couple books? Please Piper?" Piper turned around and met Amelia's eyes. Amelia nodded reluctantly. If they were quick enough, they could make it home on time. Besides, it would be nice to get a new book or two.

They ducked into the quaint little building, greeted by a gust of stale air. Clara squealed and ran towards one of the towering shelves. Piper and Nihm were also quick to dart off.

Amelia smiled softly and began to wander about. She picked up a short chapter book and started to leaf through it. It looked like something the younger girls might like. She felt bad that they couldn't come along. With twelve girls in the house, it usually became an enormous fight to decide who would go out for the errands. The need to go out was rare. The girls were all homeschooled. They had a small farm, with several chickens and a vegetable garden. They owned plenty of books, but Amelia had read them all by the time she was 16. Needless to say, trips to town were adventures of their own.

"Hullo." Amelia startled at the sounds of a voice behind her. She turned to see a pleasant looking young woman. "I don't believed we've met?"

"I'm Amelia, and these are my sisters. Nihm, Piper, and Clara. We don't exactly go out much."

"Well it's nice to meet you. I'm Belle." She stuck out a hand, and Amelia shook it. Clara stepped forward.

"You don't happen to know where I could find the librarian, do you?" she asked. "I'm looking for her so I can ask about a book."

"You've found her," Belle laughed. Clara blushed. "What are you looking for?"

"I'm just wondering if you have any books on ancient languages?" Belle looked around thoughtfully.

"Not here, but…" she paused, thinking it over, "I think there might just be something in the back of my husband's pawn shop. It's not far, if you want to follow me." Clara gave Amelia a pleading look. Amelia checked her watch.

"Fine, Clara, but we must be quick." She didn't want to be the one to squash Clara's exploits into history.

"It's got some magical languages too. I hope you don't mind," Belle said apologetically. Clara shook her head enthusiastically, as if to indicate that this was even better. "Well then, follow me!" She walked them to the entrance, locking the door behind her and confirming she had the key. "Just a precaution. You never know what someone could find in a library." Amelia raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

It really was a quick walk. Belle stopped so abruptly that she startled Amelia. Belle ushered them into the cozy shop, filled with odds and ends. For some reason, it sent a chill through Amelia.

"Just wait here, I believe it's in the back," the woman said. Clara nodded in response. Meanwhile, Nihm had wandered off to look at something, and Piper seemed to be staring at a shelf of glass vials.

 _Piper's POV_

Stepping into the shop felt like entering a scene from an adventure book. There were relics and figures and swords and things Piper couldn't even begin to name, all in one little shop. While some items were out in the open, most were held behind glass cases, only intriguing Piper further. She silently cursed the time limit that they were given before they had to be back in their home; if it didn't exist, she could see herself spending hours in there.

For the first few moments, she didn't pay attention to anything or anyone, besides her own wonder. Living in such seclusion, like they did, it didn't take much to amaze them. But, soon enough, she looked up to watch the other girls' reactions. While the younger two seemed to be just as enthralled as she had been, Amelia seemed more wary than anything else.

Piper shot her twin a look, clearly meant to ask 'What's wrong?', but Amelia only shook her head and waved her hand slightly, letting her know that everything was fine. Piper didn't quite believe her, but she figured that Amelia was just anxious about being late getting home. She was always worrying.

She had only just noticed Nihm, mesmerized by something behind a glass case, before a man stepped out from the back of the shop and into their view. Instinctively, Piper took a step forward toward her sister, if anything to keep her from breaking something in front of someone who worked there. With the new view, she could see what Nihm had been staring at: a painted golden chalice. Her whole body froze.

While her thoughts raced, trying to figure out how in the world it could have ended up here, the man looked over the four sisters before an outraged look settled on his face. When she saw him, she couldn't help thinking that he was looking at them like he knew them. But she most certainly did not know him.

The man glanced back to Nihm and took another step closer to her. "Well, well..." he asked, his voice laced with his thick accent and false pleasantry. "Do you know what you have there, dearie?" Everything about him was unsettling, from the way he spoke to the way he looked at Nihm, as if she was prey.

She shook her head innocently. "I don't think so," she said in her timid little voice. She looked back at the chalice. "But I feel like I've seen it before…" A sinister smile grew on the man's face.

"You just very well might have," he said, his voice sickly sweet. He glanced up for just a moment, making eye contact with Piper. It sent a shiver down her spine and sparked a rage in the pit of her stomach. But she didn't move, not wanting to scare Clara or Nihm, and hoping that Belle would come back and somehow scare him off.

"You see, this isn't the real version of the chalice," the man continued. "It is only a replica. The real one had powerful magic. But, it was stolen by someone who should never have had it in the first place." With those words, every fiber in her being told Piper to get her sisters out of there. She looked over at Amelia nervously, and saw her looking back with the same expression. He knew. It seemed impossible, but, somehow, he knew.

"Nihm, come on," Piper said quickly, stepping forward closer to her little sister. "We're late, we have to go." Clara pulled on Amelia's sleeve anxiously.

"It's okay," she said in her ever-calm voice. "We'll come back for the book another time."

"Nihm, let's go," Piper said, her voice more forceful than before. But before she could step forward to grab her sister's hand, the man moved his arm in a strange motion, and they all heard the click of the door to the shop locking.

"Now," he said, no more false pleasantry in his voice. "I know who you are, princesses. And I know what you did. No one is leaving here until one of you tells me where the real chalice is."

Piper didn't even need to think; her body moved for her without hesitation. She stepped forward towards him, her fists clenched, ready to confront him. She heard Amelia begin to say something to stop her, but there was nothing even she could do.

But instead of reacting how she expected, the man laughed, the sound of it giving a sickening twist in her stomach. She didn't want him to think he had scared her off, though, so she stood her ground.

"We don't know what you're talking about," she said through clenched teeth. "Let us go and we won't have a problem." The man only laughed again, seeming to find amusement in her anger.

She couldn't help herself. And at the same time as Amelia repeated her name, much more urgency in her voice as she could sense that she was about to do something wrong, Piper took another step towards him, fully intending to physically confront him, if that's what it came to.

"You should not have done that, dearie," he said, his eyes seeming to gleam with ferociousness. He flicked out his hand again, and this time a ball of fire came shooting out of the fireplace, landing in the air, hovering above his hand in complete control. "Now," he said, tilting his head just slightly. "I'll give you one more chance to tell me where the chalice is, before-" He was cut off by the sound of heeled footsteps entering the room.

"Rumple!" Belle exclaimed as she took in the scene before her. "What on earth are you doing?"

"Belle," he stammered somewhat nervously. "I thought you were working in the library today. I-I don't think you-"

"I don't want to hear it!" she cut him off again. If her thoughts weren't so thoroughly fixated on the ball of fire still hovering just a foot or two away from her face, Piper would have been impressed by the control Belle had over him. "What possibly possessed you to threaten innocent girls?"

"Innocent!" he said in disbelief. "They are far from innocent! Belle, please, you don't understand."

"Drop it, Rumple," she said, her voice leaving no room for negotiation. "Let them go, and we can talk about this later."

With that, Rumple glared back at Piper for just a moment before swishing his hand out and cleanly extinguishing the fire. And with a snap of his fingers, the lock on the door clicked open.

"I'm so sorry, girls," Belle said, turning her attention to them. Piper took the opportunity to reach out to grab Nihm's hand, not wanting any distance between them in case something else happened. With a quick glance over her shoulder, she saw that Amelia had done the same with Clara. "I had no idea that this would…" she continued, shaking her head. "Please, forgive-" the sound of a bell chiming from the front door as it cracked open.

"Grandpa?" the voice called curiously as he stepped through the door. A young boy, no older than Clara, with dark hair stepped into the shop. He took a second to look at the four girls, seeming confused. "Oh, sorry," he said quickly. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No, no of course not, Henry," Rumple responded, his voice levels kinder than it had been since he first spoke to the girls.

The boy, Henry, turned back to look at Clara and Amelia. "I've never seen you around before," he said, and then offered a small smile. "Who are you?"

"Well, we're-" Clara began.

"Leaving," Piper said quickly. "We were just leaving." She pulled Nihm away gently but quickly. "Come on." Without hesitating any longer, she walked quickly towards the door, stepping through it before looking back. Amelia was following right behind her, though Clara lingered just briefly, still looking at Henry curiously. Amelia took her hand and prompted her to follow, and the four of them walked out of the shop.


	3. Chapter 3

_Amelia's POV_

After dinner, Amelia and Piper stood in the living room, huddled, with their heads bent. After a moment, Piper turned and caught Clara's eye. She looked pointedly at Nihm, and motioned for the two to join them. Clara got Nihm's attention and brought her over.

"Girls, we've decided it's best we don't speak of the events that occurred today," Amelia explained. "Our trip into town ended at the library. Alright?" The two younger girls nodded soberly.

"That boy, Henry? He seems nice," Clara added. Amelia looked at her and gently shook her head.

"You can't-" Amelia was interrupted by a gush of tears from Nihm. Piper's eyes went wide. "Bathroom," Amelia hissed. Piper ushered Nihm to the upstairs bathroom, which had a row of six sinks, a long mirror, a bench, and four toilets, each enclosed in three tiled walls and a wooden door. Additionally, there were three showers, one with a tub, made similarly to the toilet stalls. This upgraded-public-restroom layout was necessary to accommodate the girls in the morning and evening.

"Nihm, honey, what's wrong?" Amelia asked, walking into the bathroom moments later. Piper had an arm wrapped around the girl as they sat on the bench. Clara followed closely behind Amelia.

"The-the-the scary man is gonna find us. He's gon-gonna get us. I'm sca-a-ared." Piper squeezed the sobbing child reassuringly. Amelia kneeled down in front of her, meeting her eyeline.

"Nihm. I promise you, that man does not know where we live. He doesn't even know how to find out. We won't go to that library again. He has no idea where to look for us. I promise, nothing bad will happen to you. To any of us."

"Besides," Piper added, "Even if he did find us, you know I would rip him limb from limb before he could lay a finger on any of _my_ sisters." Clara giggled, and Nihm stopped hyperventilating.

"Feeling any better Nihm?" Amelia asked. Nihm swiped a sleeve across her eyes and nodded. Clara handed her some wadded up toilet paper to wipe her nose. "Clara, could you guys give Piper and I a moment? Perhaps start getting into your pajamas?" Clara nodded and took Nihm's hand.

Just as they reached the door, Piper said, "If dad asks, Nihm saw a dead cat on the way home." Clara nodded grimly. The moment the door closed behind them, Amelia gave Piper a disapproving look. "What? WHAT?"

"I really wish you wouldn't be so graphic with them."

"It's gotta be a realistic story, Amelia. What should I have said, she saw a kid drop his ice cream?"

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about the ripping, limb from limb. The filling their heads with violence. It's not necessary. It's not the way to solve problems. Do you really want to give them ideas? This place is bad enough with the bickering."

"Well, it's because of all the bickering. Sure do wish we could get away...dance a little?"

"Piper, you know that's not possible. For more reasons than one." Piper was silent for a moment.

"Amelia, they gotta be ready to defend themselves, and each other. Violence isn't always so bad."

Amelia sighed and replied, "The only threat these girls face is imaginary villains in their games and books. Tell them that they need to learn self-defense, and they will start to wonder why. 'What is out there for us to defend ourselves from?' 'Should we be scared?' Do you really want to answer those questions, Pipes? Do you really want them to have nightmares?"

After a pause, Piper whispered, "You know, we aren't the only ones who remember."

"True, but I'm hoping that with time, we will be the only ones who don't forget," Amelia said with finality. There was no arguing with her once she made these dramatic statements, so Piper just vaguely nodded.

"Amelia?"

"Hmm?"

"How does he have the fake chalice?"

"I don't know Pipes. But it doesn't matter. We just need to stay away from his shop. Maybe the library too - oh, don't give me that look. Maybe we can send Freia or something. There's no risk of the librarian recognizing her, and I doubt he visits his wife at work that often," Amelia rationalized.

"Who is he?" Piper asked tentatively.

"I fear he may be the Dark One." Piper gasped. "I assume you've heard the same stories I have. He's evil. Maybe the chalice was stolen from us to appease him, release someone or make a deal."

"It doesn't excuse attempted theft."

"Piper, try to be considerate," Amelia whispered. Girls had started wandering in and out to brush their teeth, and the quiet conversation was starting to attract some prolonged stares. A couple girls were starting the second night shift of showers. Bathing twelve girls in 3 showers was a process.

Piper changed the subject as she reached to over Rose for her toothbrush. "Did everyone have a good day?" She was met with vigorous nods and a couple shouts from the showers. "What did you guys do while we were gone?"

Daisy spit out her toothpaste and started to tell a rambling story as she flossed. Piper masked her fear with interest, but Amelia just stared off into the distance. Soon enough, the sounds of showers turning off and the clamor of girls walking out jolted her back. She made meaningful eye contact with Piper, but Rose and Daisy were still lingering

They gave up on continuing the conversation when Rose asked, "Are you guys gonna help us get ready and tell us a story?" Piper nodded warmly, and Amelia gave a smile that didn't reach her eyes. The girls followed their younger twin siblings out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. Fear still lingered on Amelia's mind.

 _Piper's POV_

As soon as Rose pushed open the door to the bedroom, the air become flooded with the sound of girls talking and laughing as they scurried around the room. The room itself was giant and open, big enough to fit the twelve beds that lined the walls while still leaving a large space in the very center.

The eight sisters that had already been in the room before were busy getting ready to go to bed for the night. Or, at least, partly getting ready. Most of them were busying themselves with games of running around and bouncing from one bed to another, giggling loudly along the way.

When they noticed the two sets of twins entering the room, a few of the younger girls stopped their game to come running over, still bouncing up and down with excited energy.

"Come on, Piper!" Nihm exclaimed, a brilliant smile on her face. "We want to hear the story!"

"Did you really get new ones from the library?" Rose, who was still standing at her side, asked.

"Clara said you did," Daisy informed her, still in Amelia's arms. "Did you really?"

Piper hid a smirk as she tapped her chin and looked up, looking like she was trying hard to remember something. "Hmmm, new stories…" she said with false uncertainty. "Let's see...did we get new stories today? I don't believe I recall…"

"We did!" Nihm said with a laugh. "We went to the library and picked out new books for Piper to tell us. You remember!" This time, Piper couldn't help letting a smile cross her face.

"Ah, now I remember," she said, winking quickly at Nihm. "We did get new stories today. And they're especially exciting." The little girls gasped and giggled in anticipation.

"Can you start now?" Rose pleaded. The other girls nodded their heads in agreement.

"You know the drill," Piper responded, crossing her arms playfully. "We have to wait until father leaves for the night, then we can start." This was met with a chorus of groans.

"We have to get ready for bed first, anyways," Amelia reminded them as she set Daisy down on the floor. "Father will be in soon, and the longer he has to wait for you to be in bed, the longer we have to wait for the story." With that, the younger girls ran off to get themselves ready for bed as quickly as they could, practically skipping the whole way. Amelia put her hand on Piper's shoulder briefly, giving her a relieved look before walking off. Piper shared the feeling; after such a hectic day, it was nice to be home with their sisters and go through the nightly routine.

Piper walked off toward her bed, pulling out the drawer that laid under it. She took out her nightclothes and changed before picking up her hairbrush and sitting down on the edge of her bed. As she ran the brush carefully through her hair, she watched all of the motion going on in the room. It was such a barely-organized chaos; it's a wonder they got through it every night. With twelve sisters, just about everything seemed like an event.

At nineteen years old, Freia was the oldest. Without knowing her as well as her sisters did, she was just about everything someone could want in a princess; beautiful, intelligent, kind, poised, and a natural leader. Her soft golden hair was always perfectly in place, whether held by bows or braids, and her amber eyes were intense and captivating. But beyond what most people thought of her, she was cunning and a genius. She was the one who had first discovered the real power of the chalice, and had explored the worlds it held on her own before telling anyone else about it. She was the mind behind everything they had done. And though she wasn't exactly the most nurturing, she loved and protected her sisters through everything.

Amelia and Piper were the next oldest, both eighteen years old. And of the three sets of twins, they were the least alike. Beyond their looks of dark brown hair and deep blue eyes, they barely shared any of the same qualities. Amelia was the caretaker whenever one was needed, and even when one wasn't. It was like she had taken over their mother's place when she passed away, and ever since then all the sisters knew that, through anything else, Amelia would be the one to take care of them. Piper, on the other hand, wasn't quite the responsible type. She was adventurous and exciting, but impulsive and slightly reckless. As her father had put it since she was a little girl, she had a temper that could rival a dragon. She breathed excitement like air, and sought it out wherever she could. But more than anything, her priority was protecting her sisters, which she did fiercely. Even if she was occasionally the one to get them in trouble in the first place.

Nora was seventeen and, next to Freia, was the most proper princess among them. She was always perfectly put together, with her strawberry blonde hair always tucked into two tight braids and her clothing always pristine. But she was less assertive than Freia, much preferring to blend into the background than to stand up and be a leader.

The next oldest, Lark, was first and foremost everybody's friend. Piper couldn't recall ever hearing a harsh word come from her mouth, and she doubted anyone else could either. It was like the sun shown through her wild, curly blonde hair and her brilliant smile, and the gods reflected themselves in her eyes. She was the first to speak up against the mistreatment of anyone, including even the smallest creatures in the forest.

At fifteen years old, Skye was only just finding her place in the family. Piper couldn't exactly blame her; she was caught right in the middle of the sisters, not quite fitting in with the younger or older girls. Because of this, it wasn't rare for her to get attention...well, in any way she could. She had a flair for the dramatics, as Amelia had put it once. Whenever there was bickering going on, it was a safe guess that Skye was in the middle of it.

Clara, too, found herself caught in the middle of two seemingly opposite worlds. Anyone could tell that she tried so hard to be obedient and careful, but there was, and had always been, a spark of longing in her. And especially since their secret nighttime excursions had been snuffed out before the curse, the need for freedom was inching closer and closer to the fourteen year old's surface.

The middle set of twins, River and Meadow, were the most mischievous twelve year olds Piper had even met; well, besides herself at that age. There was something about the way they barely held back their secret-keeping giggles that just emulated childish trouble. They always seemed to be disobeying some rule in one way or another, no matter how small it was. They were told to keep out of their father's study, they somehow found their way in. They were told to keep their clothes clean for a dinner guest, they found the nearest mud to stain themselves with. Their father arranged for a hairdresser to come to the house, they suddenly had very important business that required them to be locked in the bedroom all day, resulting in their unruly blonde hair to grow longer and longer.

Nihm always tried her hardest to keep out of trouble, especially being directly beneath River and Meadow, but it never seemed to work out for her. Though quiet, she was endlessly curious, which got her into more than one troublesome situation. It hadn't exactly been a surprise that she was the one caught in the middle of the whole scene at Mr. Gold's shop. But she never meant any harm, so one of the older girls always ended up bailing her out of whatever she was stuck in.

The very youngest of the sisters, Rose and Daisy, were, in Piper's eyes, a picture of purity. They had been so young when their lives had changed drastically, so it had affected them the least. They were ten years old, still young enough to hold onto their childhood charm, but just barely beginning to grow into their own beauty. They never seemed to want anything but to have fun, even in the simplest of ways.

Piper was well aware that her family was quite unusual, but it suited them. She didn't know who any of them would be if they hadn't grown up all together in the way they did. Through all of the moments of insanity that they endured, she knew there wasn't anything she wouldn't do to keep them safe and happy.

She had just barely finished pulling her hair back when the door to their bedroom opened, their father walking in. As she looked around, she noticed that most of the other girls were already in bed, either sitting on their mattress peacefully or laying their heads down on their pillow.

The smile he wore as he stepped into the room reassured her that he didn't know that anything had gone wrong on their outing early in the day. This meant he was his usual self; happy and loving towards his precious daughters, if only moderately scatterbrained at his best moments. I was only when he felt that there was any kind of threat posed against the girls did he become the overprotective king that made drastic decisions.

"Good evening, my loves," he greeted, before beginning his nightly routine of walking around the room to each bed, kissing each girl goodnight. Piper glanced over towards her twin's bed just as Daisy, who had been sitting with Amelia as she brushed out her hair, jumped over to her own bed.

"Clara and Nihm didn't give you two any trouble today, did they?" their father said with a wink as he knelt between Piper and Amelia's beds.

"Of course not," Amelia said with a collected smile. "They behaved themselves perfectly."

"They liked getting out of the house," Piper added, urging him to pick up on the fact that they wanted to get out more. "They all do."

"Yes, yes," he said with a sigh, nodding his head slowly. "I know you do. I wish there was a way that I could allow you more time outside of the property without risking your safety, but we both know that there isn't."

"I'm sure-" Piper started, before cutting herself off, seeing Amelia's pointed look.

'Not tonight,' she mouthed. Piper could only let out a huff of breath in agreement.

"I know, father," she allowed begrudgingly. He gave a half smile in return, knowing how hard it was for her to be agreeable.

"Goodnight, Piper," he said, kissing her forehead lightly as he stood up. He did the same to Amelia before walking to the next bed over.

By the time he had finished making his round of the room, every girl was tucked into bed, blankets covering them as their eyes fluttered closed. "Sweet dreams, darlings," he said softly, as to not wake the ones that might have already fallen asleep, before carefully flicking off the light switch. As he did, there was a subtle click, so quiet that no one would hear it unless they were listening closely for it. But Piper, as well as the rest of the girls, knew what it was. In order to keep them from being able to even begin to sneak out of the room undetected, their father had installed a system that would send an alert if the light was turned back on.

A few silent moments passed as the sound of footsteps walking away from the room faded. And then, as if on cue, every girl jumped out of their bed. They all reached under their beds, pulling out a flashlight and switching it on. Some sat on the edge of their own mattress, while some joined others on theirs. Piper reacted just like the rest of them, though she didn't stay on her bed.

As the sound of laughing and excitement increased and lights danced across the room, Piper stepped to the center of the room, where everyone could see her.

"What story did you bring, Piper?" Lark called from the edge of her bed, Nihm sitting in her lap practically bouncing with excitement.

"It's a tale of bravery and adventure!" Piper exclaimed dramatically. "With ferocious beasts…" she hooked her hands like claws and growled, a few of the younger ones shrieking in mock fear. "And handsome lovers…" the pitch of her voice got higher as she rested her wrist on her forehead, pretending to swoon. "But, most of all," she jumped back into her normal stance. "It's about a daring hero!" By now, most of the lights were pointed steadily on her, though once in awhile one would dart across the room just for good measure.

This was their real nightly routine. When they had been discovered sneaking out at night through a portal into a realm of lavish parties, there was something missing from their lives. They needed something to keep their imaginations soaring, even if they couldn't leave the confines of their room. This storytelling event had become their new secret. Piper wasn't sure if it even needed to be kept secret, but it had been in silent agreement between them all that they just liked having one to keep.

Piper immediately dove into a dramatic telling of one of the books they had picked from the library earlier in the day. She had taken the time before to memorize the plot enough that she could retell it. But her way of storytelling was far more than just sitting and reciting the words. She would leap across the room, acting and reacting as if she were the characters. Every so often one or two of the others would join in to play a part, if it was a story they were familiar with. But that night, since it was a new story to them, they watched in pure excitement, reacting to each scene as if it were really happening in front of them. And all the while, flashlights illuminated the room in patches, creating a setting that seemed to breathe a life of its own as it moved around.

It wasn't quite the same as the parties and real adventures they used to go on, but it was the next best thing. What Piper really loved was having this time every night to have real fun with all of her sisters, in a way that made all of them happy, no matter how simple it was.


End file.
